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Pot-laced lotions promise pain relief without the 'high'

The US government still refers to active ingredient as an illegal substance

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Updated: 11:20 AM EDT May 19, 2017

Pot-laced lotions promise pain relief without the 'high'

The US government still refers to active ingredient as an illegal substance

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Updated: 11:20 AM EDT May 19, 2017

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WEBVTT >> IT IS A GAME CHANGER FOR ME.IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.>> LISA USES HIS MARIJUANA IF HEIS MOTION TO SOOTHE HER HANDS.SHE LEARNED ABOUT ARE WELLWORKING AT NEW ENGLAND ENGLANDTREATMENT ACCESS ON LICENSEDDISPENSARY IN BROOKLINE -->> OFTENTIMES AND WAKE UP IN THEMORNING IN MY HAND ASSISTIVE ICANNOT MOVE IT SO I PUT TWOPUNTS ONTO MY HAND AND RUB IT INAND I CAN MOVE MY HAND WITH ZEROPAIN -->> THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT THC APSYCHOACTIVE COMPOUND FOUND INMARIJUANA TAKEN ORALLY AND YOUWILL GET HIGH PUT IT ON YOURSKIN AND IT COULD PROVIDE RELIEFFROM PAIN RASHES AND OTHER SKINCONDITIONS -->> YOU MAY HAVE SOMEANTI-INFLAMMATORY PROPERTIESTHAT IS GIVING RISE TO SOME OFTHESE INFUSED CREAM PRODUCTS -->> DR. KEVIN HALE IS ANADDICTION SPECIALIST AND THEAUTHOR OF A BOOK ABOUT MARIJUANA-->> THESE PRODUCTS ARE -- THEYARE NOT GOING TO -- IT IS VERYLIMITED RISK -- I THINK THEQUESTION IS -->> RIGHT NOW THE REAL ANSWER ISTOUGH TO GET THE FEDERALGOVERNMENT'S HILL PREFERS TO THCIS A SCHEDULE WILL SUBSTANCE ANDIT IS BEEN A ROAD BLOCK TO BECONDUCTING CLINICAL TRIALS AND-- -->> OF SENSIBLY HAS NORECOGNIZABLE -- A STEADILY HASNO RECOGNIZABLE -- PRACTICE ISOUTDATED, FALSE, AS A NATION OF-- VERY OLD AND VERY DID -->> NOTED ARBELLA'S IS THEDIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT AFFAIRSAT META-HE SAYS TOPICAL PRODUCTSARE POPULAR IMPATIENCE TELL HIMTHEY WORK -->> WE HOPE THAT AS THESEANECDOTES GROW IN NUMBER THEVOLUME IN THE FREQUENCY THAT THETRADITIONAL MEDICAL COMMUNITYCAN PRESSURE, AND HELP TO HAVE AMORE DANGER TOPICAL SKIN HELPPEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERINGEVERYDAY -->> ANOTHER QUESTION IS THE COSTFOR THESE LOTIONS NETTEDDECLINED TO DISCUSS THE PRICESSAID INTO THE PURPORTED BELIEVEIN COMPARED TO OVER-THE-COUNTERPRODUCTS FOR SALE AT PHARMACIESRIGHT NOW THAT YOU CAN ONLYPURCHASE CLOSES CONTAINING THCAT DISPENSARIES AND PATIENTS

Pot-laced lotions promise pain relief without the 'high'

The US government still refers to active ingredient as an illegal substance

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Updated: 11:20 AM EDT May 19, 2017

BROOKLINE, Mass. —

As access to medical marijuana expands in Massachusetts, there's new interest in topical products that promise to provide relief for aches and pains.

"It's a game changer for me," said Lisa Burke, who uses marijuana-infused lotion to soothe her sore hands. "It has changed my life completely."

"Oftentimes, I wake up in the morning and my hand is so stiff, I can't move it," she said. "So I put two pumps onto my hand and rub it in and I can move my hand with zero pain."

The lotion's active ingredient is tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, a psychoactive compound found in the marijuana plant.

Take it orally and you'll get high.

Put it on your skin and it could provide relief from pain, rashes and other skin conditions.

"You may have some anti-inflammatory properties, which I think has given rise to some of these infused cream products," said Dr. Kevin Hill, an addiction specialist at McLean Hospital who authored a book about marijuana.

"These products aren't going to penetrate into your bloodstream," he said. "They're not going to make you high, so it's a very low risk in that way. I think the real question is, do they work?"

Right now, a real answer is tough to find.

The federal government still refers to THC as a Schedule 1 illegal substance. That's been a roadblock to conducting clinical studies in the United States.

"It ostensibly has no recognized medical use," said Norton Arbelaez, NETA's director of government affairs. "In practice, we know that that is an outdated and false designation of this very old and very helpful benefit."

He said topical products are popular and patients tell him that they work.

"One would hope that as these anecdotes grow in number and volume and frequency, that the traditional medical community can take a fresh look at how cannabinoids, and particular topicals, can help people that are suffering every day," Abelaez said.

NETA declined to discuss the cost of the lotions, but said they're "affordable", even compared to over-the-counter products for sale at pharmacies.

Customers currently can purchase lotions containing THC only at dispensaries, which require patients to carry a medical marijuana card.